Election of Gaffney High student body president heads to court

Wednesday

Aug 21, 2013 at 6:06 PM

The parents of a Gaffney High School senior filed a legal complaint against the Cherokee County School District earlier this month after school and district officials declared their daughter ineligible to serve as the school's student body president, even after she was announced as the winner.

By LEE G. HEALYlee.healy@shj.com

The parents of a Gaffney High School senior filed a legal complaint against the Cherokee County School District earlier this month after school and district officials declared their daughter ineligible to serve as the school's student body president, even after she was announced as the winner.The complaint, filed in Cherokee County on Aug. 6, argues that Darby Auton should serve as the school's student body president for the 2013-14 school year and asks the court to overturn the school district's decision to disqualify her. Darby's parents, Scott Auton and Lindley Auton (a former member of the Cherokee County school board), are named as plaintiffs.The Autons' attorney, Doug Brannon, is scheduled to go before a judge in Spartanburg on Aug. 30 and ask for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction preventing the district from beginning the school year “with any other student other than Plaintiff Darby Auton as student body president.”Brannon said Wednesday that he couldn't comment further on the matter.According to court documents, Darby Auton signed up for the student body election in April, attended mandatory meetings, made a campaign speech as a candidate and, after the election on May 16, was declared the winner. Shortly after the announcement, Auton was informed by school officials that she did not qualify to serve as student body president.“At no point during the election process was the Plaintiff Darby Auton told that she did not qualify to serve as student body president,” the complaint reads in part. “Plaintiff Darby Auton attended all mandatory meetings and abided by all election rules.”The complaint goes on to read that the Autons appealed the decision of the school's principal and district superintendent and “have now exhausted all administrative avenues.”Andrea White, an attorney for the school district, explained that school bylaws require candidates to have served on the student council for at least two years — a qualification she said Auton did not meet. White said it was “unfortunate” Auton's qualifications weren't called into question by school leaders prior to the election, but argued that participation in extracurricular activities, like student council, is a privilege, not a right.The runner-up and only other candidate on the ballot, senior Leighlan Fowler, was ultimately announced as the winner and is currently serving as student body president for the school. The school year started for students in Cherokee County on Tuesday.“It's our position that this is not the kind of matter that the court should intervene in,” White said. “I believe the court is likely to rule this is a matter that's decided by the district.”